Galatia storm classified as F-2 tornado

The storm that struck Galatia 10:10 p.m. Jan. 29 has been classified by the National Weather Service as an F-2 tornado with winds up to 115 mph, according to Saline County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Allan C. Ninness.

The storm that struck Galatia 10:10 p.m. Jan. 29 has been classified by the National Weather Service as an F-2 tornado with winds up to 115 mph, according to Saline County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Allan C. Ninness.

The tornado's path was measured at 6,000 feet — a bit over a mile — at a width measured at 100 yards wide or about two blocks in spots. The Fujita Tornado Damage Scale rates tornados between F0 with light damage involving broken branches sign boards and some trees pushed over to F5 which is devastating.

The storm's intensity has little bearing on the road ahead for some Galatia families.

Residents of Galatia, near or on Walker Street, agree that the sound of Tuesday night's storm was loud, some likening it to a jet engine starting up.

But Harold Ewell, who sheltered in a walk-in closet with four other family members, said "It sounded like a freight train."

When the storm was over at about 10:10 p.m. he and his family came out of the 3 foot-by-5 foot closet to find the roof of the house and two walls blown away. The closet was the only room left with a ceiling. The entire roof was gone.

Wednesday morning he and friends and relatives were rescuing clothing and valuables from the remains of the home at 206 E. Walker St. At that time they didn't know where they would be spending the night.

"We have to wait for the insurance man to arrive before we know if we will be in a motel or what," Ewell said at late morning.

Although the house is a total loss Ewell's wife Karen said, "We got our lives."

A 10-block stretch of Galatia along Walker Street was damaged. Ameren worked through Tuesday night and by dawn had powered restored to about 3/4 of the village. Power was total restored by late morning. School was canceled due to concerns over the ability of a generator to keep a sewage pump operating, but schools were to open Thursday.

Many old growth trees lay shattered in front yards and sometimes across roof tops. One mobile home behind the was bisected by a large tree branch, its owner — reported by many, though not confirmed officially, to be Mike Peyton — sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to people at the scene.

Gaylon Parks was standing outside his sister-in-law's house at 301 N. Hickory St. looking at a large tree branch that had landed on her roof. Natural disaster struck the family last year.

"She is 83, Imogene Williams. She was home last night when the tree branch hit her roof," Parks said. "She is all right, no injuries, but she was really shaken up because her sister, Linda Hull, was killed in the Feb. 29 tornado in Harrisburg."

Page 2 of 3 - Ninness said various stories abound about the number injured and the nature of those injuries. He has heard both two and three individuals were injured, but has not confirmed reports with family members.

Ninness has compiled preliminary damage assessments for Galatia that report 28 properties were affected. Those include:

- 22 single family structures.

- Two multi family structures, both Saline County Housing Authority properties with four apartments each. Three of the eight units are uninhabitable.

- Four manufactured homes.

Of those, two are classified total losses, eight are classified habitable with repairs and 18 are classified habitable without repairs.

The figures do not include damage to outbuildings, barns or unattached garages, though many were damaged in the village.

The Red Cross housed three residents in the Galatia First Baptist Church Family Life Outreach Center Jan. 29. All had made other arrangements Wednesday night — either staying in motels or with family, Ninness said, though the shelter would remain available if they need it. The Saline County Housing Authority made arrangements for residents in the three apartment buildings.

Red Cross had six volunteers working Tuesday night and five Wednesday night, out of both the church FLOC Building and Village Hall.

"There are going to be caseworkers in town (Thursday)," Ninness said.

The Baptist Chainsaw Ministry is in town helping to clear trees and clearing debris out of town is on the agenda for village officials. Ninness said one of the goals of a meeting 11:30 a.m. today at Village Hall was to coordinate removal of debris taken to curbs.

Though there is considerable damage that will take time to clean up, Ninness said the tornado's path appeared more isolated — affecting mainly the north section of town — than Galatia's last tornado in 2002. That fact is of little solace to those who have lost everything.

"You have the same pain in the people who have lost their possessions, belongings and home," Ninness said.

The storm caused little damage to other areas of the county. Eldorado firefighters responded to a falling tree ripping the electrical service line from a house at Alexander Street and there was some minor damage reported in Carrier Mills.

A dead tree in the yard at the intersection of Railroad and Harris streets was blown over with no damage to property.

More serious damage occurred at the storage building owned by Russell Oil Company at the intersection of Main Street and U.S. 45 South. A portion of the wall of a building owned by Fred Hutson was blown off and damaged the adjacent storage building. A portion of the roof and several doorways and sections of the wall of the storage building showed clear evidence of impact of wind-driven debris.

Page 3 of 3 - Village Street crews reported no other significant damage other than some minor flooding.